Packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits during long periods of time

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits packaged in clamshell, punnets or trays during long periods of time, comprising a collapsible structure including four vertical columns with side walls collapsible on a pallet-type base, exhibiting an arrangement of internal trays or grids, and wrappable curtains configuring front and rear walls, such that it doesn&#39;t require the use of cardboard, wood or plastic boxes; preferably the system also comprises cooling means, gas-generating means and controlling means.

The present invention relates to a packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits packaged in clamshell, punnets or trays during long periods of time, without using current cardboard, wood or plastic boxes; specifically, this invention relates to a system comprising a structure of side walls collapsible on a pallet-type base having inner trays arranged therein and a closure exhibiting front curtains, cooling means and gas-generating means.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Perishable products are transported by road, sea, rail and air using a variety of different techniques. In said techniques it is of great importance the refrigeration and the use of a controlled atmosphere, which improves the product preservation.

A feature of current technology is the trend toward the use of standard-size refrigerator containers which can be handled by equipments placed inside the used transport means.

The patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,908 B1 (Bosher et al.) titled “Method of transporting or storing perishable produce”, describes a method allowing cool rooms or sea containers designed for frozen goods to handle a product, more precisely controlled temperatures and conditions. Each load of produce of pallet size is sealed by a wrapping or plastic bag. The atmosphere within the bag is re-circulated by a fan and distributed so as to pass through ducts adjacent the bag, which maintain the packaged product in cardboard boxes. However, this kind of transport uses a packaging form resulting in several additional costs for the fruit exporters whether due to the amount of different material used inside the box (such as bags, papers, generator, etc.) or to the use of a double package: a clamshell and then box (wood pallets, corner cupboard, iron straps, etc.).

The present invention solves said problems, since it provides a transport and/or storage system comprising a main collapsible, metallic or plastic structure, whose inner part has a determined amount of divisions or separations allowing to storage and transport different kind of fruits packaged in clamshell, punnets or trays during long periods of time, without using current cardboard, wood or plastic boxes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of the system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the system according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an operation schema of the fold of this system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The transport and/or storage system (1) consists of a structure of metal, plastic, cardboard, wood or of any other material or a mixture thereof, where said structure consists of four vertical columns (11) placed on pallet-type base (12) corners and collapsible side walls (13) made up of solid and insulating material, being said vertical columns (11) also collapsible in horizontal direction (see FIG. 3). This collapsible structure is achieved by disposing external hinges (6) on the external surface of the side faces (13) so as to provoke a break toward the outside of the collapsible structure, and by disposing internal hinges (6′) on the internal surface of the side faces (13) in order to provoke a break toward the inside of the collapsible structure, such that said hinges (6 and 6′) result in horizontal lines, which are alternated between the internal surface and the external surface of said side walls (13). Between each hinge line (6 and 6′) there is a distance of about 500 mm and 580 mm, so as to achieve a dismounted structure comprised by the surface of the pallet-type base (12).

In an embodiment of the invention, this structure has a head, wherein a cooling device (3), a gas-generating device (2), a control device (4) and cylindrical means are provided in the front and rear end of the structure head, which allows to wrap a curtain (5), wherein said wrappable curtain forms front and rear walls of the system (1).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal surface of side faces (13) exhibits grooves or rails (8) for disposing a plurality of slippable trays (7) or simply grids, where clamshell with packaged products are placed. Said grooves or rails (8) permit to dispose trays (7) at different heights, if required.

In order to effectively reach the products on trays (7) the gas-generating system (2) is provided with pipes or ducts (not shown) of about 3-5 mm diameter, which are arranged throughout column height, immediately behind rails (8), so as to permit the gas passage generated, for example, by a diffusing device.

The cooling device (3) permits maintain the temperature required by the packaged products during the transport and storage thereof.

The system (1) of the present invention exhibits temperature-fluctuation impenetrability regarding the atmosphere due to the wrappable curtains (5) placed in the front and rear opposite faces, which are stored by wrapping the same on cylindrical means placed at each end of the head. Said wrappable curtains are also made up of insulating material, if required.

In an embodiment of the invention, said wrappable curtains (5) are of grid-type, when there is no thermal insulation required.

For a good operation of the cooling device (3) and the gas-generating one (2) it is necessary to count with a controller (4) also placed in the structure head, which maintains the optimal preservation conditions. This controller is a processor with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system, which comprises memory, wherein more variables can be stored, such as quantity, origin, weight, variety, producer, etc. of the packaged product disposed on trays (7) in the inside of the system (1) of the present invention, thus improving products design. For this purpose special software is developed.

The advantage of the system collapsible structure is the re-use of the same, thus considerably diminishing its volume when the same is empty or without load, permitting the transport thereof in a more efficient manner.

The system (1) of the present invention permits a solid and rigid structure when it is in operation, which facilitates storage of a plurality of said systems by simply piling up one above another, thus increasing the capacity of firms' storage chambers.

This structure is collapsible so as to be used over and over again, thus permitting a more efficient transport thereof, when it is without fruit (not in use). 

1. A packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits packaged in clamshell, punnets or trays during long periods of time, comprising: a) a collapsible structure including four vertical columns with side walls collapsible on a pallet-type base, exhibiting an arrangement of internal trays or grids; b) wrappable curtains configuring front and rear walls; c) cooling means; d) gas-generating means; and e) controlling means.
 2. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the vertical columns are placed on pallet-type base corners and they are collapsible.
 3. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the vertical columns and side walls comprise: external hinges on the external surface so as to provoke a break toward the outside of the collapsible structure, and internal hinges on the internal surface in order to provoke a break toward the inside of the collapsible structure, such that said internal and external hinges result in horizontal lines, which are alternated between the internal surface and the external surface of said side walls.
 4. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the internal face of collapsible side walls exhibits a plurality of grooves or rails, through which trays or grid are horizontally slipped, and said trays are arranged at similar or different heights therebetween.
 5. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the wrappable curtains are stored by wrapping the same on cylindrical means placed at each end of the head of the collapsible structure.
 6. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the collapsible side walls and curtains are made up of thermally insulating material.
 7. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the cooling means, the gas-generating means, and the controlling means are conveniently arranged in the head of the collapsible structure.
 8. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 5, wherein said head includes an upper wall, a lower wall, and side walls conforming the side walls of the collapsible structure, and rear and front walls conforming the wrappable curtains.
 9. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 4, further comprising pipes or ducts placed behind the grooves or rails.
 10. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 1, wherein the controlling means comprise a processor with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system, and a memory, where several identification parameters of the product can be stored.
 11. A packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits packaged in clamshell, punnets or trays during long periods of time, comprising: a) a collapsible structure including four vertical columns with side walls collapsible on a pallet-type base exhibiting an arrangement of internal trays or grids; b) wrappable curtains configuring front and rear walls.
 12. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 11, wherein the vertical columns are placed on pallet-type base corners and they are collapsible.
 13. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 11, wherein the vertical columns and side walls comprise: external hinges on the external surface so as to provoke a break toward the outside of the collapsible structure, and internal hinges on the internal surface in order to provoke a break toward the inside of the collapsible structure, such that said hinges result in horizontal lines, which are alternated between the internal surface and the external surface of said side walls.
 14. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 11, wherein the internal face of collapsible side walls exhibits a plurality of grooves or rails, through which trays or grid are horizontally slipped, and said trays are arranged at similar or different heights therebetween.
 15. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 11, wherein the wrappable curtains are stored by wrapping the same on cylindrical means placed at each end of the head of the collapsible structure.
 16. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 15, wherein said wrappable curtains are of grid-type.
 17. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 15, wherein said head includes an upper wall and a lower wall.
 18. The packaging system for storing and/or transporting different kind of fruits according to claim 7, wherein said head includes an upper wall, a lower wall, and side walls conforming the side walls of the collapsible structure, and rear and front walls conforming the wrappable curtains. 